by Don Hubbard
TULSA, Okla. (January 9, 1988) - Twenty-four year old Scott Hatton showed the veterans the way around the tight indoor quarter-mile oval at Tulsa's Expo Square Saturday night as he won the "Second Annual Original Chili Bowl Midget Nationals". Hatton paced himself on the inside groove behind Friday night's preliminary winner Danny Frye, Jr., Mike Gregg and Gene Gennetten for the first fifteen laps.
On the sixteenth circuit, Hatton moved up a half a groove and started his charge to the front. He blasted by Gennetten, Frye and Gregg leaving them to fight for second through fourth. Hatton built up a sizable lead while lapping traffic and claimed first place in the Jerry Hatton/Pennzoil/Jerry's Pit Stop sponsored mount. Frey held on for second, Gennetten third, Mike Gregg fourth and Mel Kenyon fifth.
Rounding out the top ten were Jerry Russell, David Strickland, Jr., Jon Backlund, Kevin Olson and Joe Gaerte.
Hatton took home another $300 bonus in the Dash for Cash, over Danny Frye, Jr., Sammy Swindell, Ron Shuman and Mike Gregg.
Results
First Heat (10 Laps): 1. Gene Gennetten, 2. Steve Knepper, 3. Ron Hughes, Jr., 4. Kevin Doty, 5. Tim McVay, 6. Rich Miller, 7. Steve Stasa.
Second Heat (10 Laps): 1. Don Lehmann, 2. Mel Kenyon, 3. Mike Wente, 4. Jack Yeley, 5. Steve Newman, 6. Bobby Brummett, 7. Ronnie Burke.
Third Heat (10 Laps): 1. Joe Gaerte, 2. Mike Brooks, 3. Dave Strickland, Jr., 4. Ricky Johnson, 5. David Dwyer, 6. Bill Luse, 7. Gary Dunkle, 8. Jackie Burke.
Fourth Heat (10 Laps): 1. Jerry Russell, 2. Rory Peachy, 3. Tom Eatwell, 4. Ron Glidden, 5. Dean Billings, 6. Mark Gerke, 7. Johnny Parsons III, 8. Scott Frew.
Fifth Heat (10 Laps): 1. Lealand McSpadden, 2. Sammy Swindell, 3. Ron Shuman, 4. Bob Thoman, 5. Mike Schiesel, 6. Todd Holderfield, 7. Bill Eslick, Jr.
Sixth Heat (10 Laps): 1. Jon Backlund, 2. Johnny Parsons, Jr., 3. Robby Flock, 4. Andy Hillenburg, 5. Steve Enlow, 6. Kurt Osterbuhr, 7. Gene Beach.
First Semi (12 Laps): 1. Ron Shuman, 2. Rory Peachy, 3. Robby Flock, 4. Steve Newman, 5. Ronnie Burke, 6. Todd Holderfield, 7. Mike Schiesel, 8. Ron Hughes, Jr., 9. Bill Luse, Jr., 10. Rich Miller.
Second Semi (12 Laps): 1. Johnny Parsons, Jr., 2. Ricky Johnson, 3. Andy Hillenburg, 4. Kevin Doty, 5. Ron Glidden, 6. Tim McVay, 7. Mark Gerke, 8. Dean Billings, 9. Scott Frew, 10. Gene Beach.
A Feature (40 Laps): 1. Scott Hatton, 2. Danny Frye, Jr., 3. Gene Gennetten, 4. Mike Gregg, 5. Mel Kenyon, 6. Jerry Russell, 7. Dave Strickland, Jr., 8. Jon Backlund, 9. Kevin Olson, 10. Joe Gaerte, 11. Ricky Johnson, 12. Lealand McSpadden, 13. Tom Eatwell, 14. Sammy Swindell, 15. Mike Brooks, 16. Rory Peachy, 17. Steve Knepper, 18. Johnny Parsons, Jr., 19. Don Lehmann, 20. Ron Shuman.
- Admin Account on Nov 07, 2011
- Article Date: 1/8/1988